Fan heater unit



Oct. 3, 1939. H. w. FINK FAN HEATER UNIT Filed Jan. 31, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l Get. 3, 1939. H. w. FINK FAN HEATER UNI'I" 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 51, 1938 Patented Oct. 3, 1939 UNITED STATES FAN HEATER UNIT Henry W. Fink, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Tropic-Aire, Incorporated, Minneapolis, Minn., a corporation of Delaware in ut-anon January 31, 1938, Serial No. 187,863

Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in combined automobile heaters and defrosters, and has for a general object to provide a device in which the elements are arranged in new functional and 5 structural relationships. Another object is to provide a structure which can be easily assembled. Another object. is to provide a device having a blower and fan respectively for heating and defrosting, and to mount the fan and blower assembly on the front side of the radiator core immediately adjacent the same. Another object is to mount the motor centrally of the core, and to have the motor entirely housed by the core, whereby in combination with the arrangement of the fan and blower, compactness is obtained in a direction from front to back of the unit. This compactness is an important feature, and makes possible a device having a maximum of radiation surface, with a minimum of size.

Another object is to provide a device in which air movement through the heater is all in one direction. Another object is to have the heated air received by both fan and blower immediately after it leaves the heater or radiator. In this way heat is conserved.

Features are the arrangement by which the over-all depth is reduced by placing the motor in the radiator, and by having air movement in one direction only assuring maximum heating and delivery of a maximum amount of heated Although there has been shown in the drawing of this application, a fan and blower combination of the kind similar to that shown in a copending application of Will and Fink for Automobile heater and defroster, Serial No. 137,842, filed April 19, 1937, yet there is no intention to be entirely limited to that fan and blower combination in which the blower circumscribes the fan blade and is attached thereto, but to claim broadly the means for obtaining front to rear compactness resultant from the housing of the motor within the radiator core, and from the arrangement of the fan and blower at one side of and near the radiator, and close to one another so that the heated air travels a minimum distance after leaving the radiator and before reaching the fan and blower.

Another object is to provide a rotatable deflector, interposed between the fan and/or blower and the front or delivery side of the unit. Another object is to provide an improved arrangement of exit openings through which heated air is delivered, certain of said openings being arranged to deliver air laterally and'downwardly into the ear. Another object is to provide improved means for immovably fixing the radiator and fan housing within the outer casing of the unit.

Features of the invention include all details of construction shown along with all broader ideas of means inherent in the disclosure.

Features, objects and advantages will appear in the description of the drawings forming part of this specification and in said drawings Figure 1 is a front view of the unit showing the improved arrangement of the delivery openings;

Figure 2 is a vertical section approximately on line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a front view of a modification; and

Figure 4 is a vertical longitudinal section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Referring now to the drawings: The outer casing is herein shown as composed of three sections respectively indicated by numerals I, 2 and 3. Sections 2 and 3 are suitably connected by a talescoping ring 4. The front section I is provided on its front wall with two series or groups of elongated slots the members of the series being indicated at 5. In this case the members of each series are parallel, and one series is convergent downwardly and toward the other. Intermediately of these series and at the top are placed a series of horizontal slots I. On the peripheral curved portion 8 of the casing section I are'arranged, in this instance, eight series or groups. of circumferential slots ID. All slots of these groups have their center of curvature in the axis of rotation of the fan. Seven of the groups are arranged in the lower part of the front. At the top of the curved portion is arranged the remaining group of slots. The specific arrangement of these slots is a feature. A fan-like or flaring distribution is obtained by the elements [0, of seven of the groups partly toward the fioor. The eighth group delivers vertically upwardly. Heated air is delivered forwardly through slots 5 and 1.

The groups of slots 5, 6 and I are in a front plate or casting I2 which fits within an opening iii of the front casing section I, the part l2 having a flange 14 which fits against the inner surface of the section I. A suitable ring i6 secures the parts. Rotatably mounted centrally of the casting or plate I2 is a shaft 20 having an operating handle 2 I. Mounted on the shaft by means of a hub 22 is a deflector composed of a plate 23 providing arms, crosswise of which are attached arcuate deflector elements 25 secured by elements 26, Interposed between the hub 22 and the bearing extension 21 of the plate [2 is a coiled spring 29 which forcibly holds the element 2| against the front face of the bearing extension 21.

Referring to Figure 2, an important feature of this invention, as before stated, is the arrangement of the fans close to the radiator. The core or radiator generally designated 30, may be of any preferred type. This radiator is provided with the usual headers not shown, connected by usual pipes 3| (only one shown) with the cooling system of the engine. In the rear walls 33 of casing section 3 are arcuate intake openings indicated at 32. The pipes 3| traverse openings in the back wall 33 of easing section 3 and are secured by clamp nuts 34. Arranged within a compartment or housing 40 of the radiator or core is a motor 4| having a shaft 42.

Those features which relate broadly to the use of the blower housing as means for securing the radiator, and the close placement of the fans relatively to the radiator will now be described.

The details of construction are also features. Numeral 45 indicates the irmer section of the fan and/or blower housing and'numeral 46 indicates the outer section, these sections having flanges 41 secured together as by bolts and nuts. The rear section has an intake opening 48 defined by an inturned flange 49 and it will be noted that the vertical wall of the section 45 lies flatly against the forward face of the radiator. Connecting with the flange 49 interiorly thereof and diametrically disposed, is a spider structure 56 having outbent ends 5| secured to the flange 49, and having a portion 53 within the motor housing 40. Portions 54.engage the inner surface of the motor chamber 40, as shown. The section 45 is secured to the core by a ring, 56, or by a series of angle arms. Either of these constructions may be used although but one is shown. The front blower or fan housing section 46 has an outlet opening 60 defined by rearwardly extending flange 6|. The

outer surfaces of the flanges 49 and 6| in part define the inner side of a circumferential blower chamber 63. The opening 48 of the inner section is smaller than the opening 60 of the outer section, and the flanges are spaced to form a circumferential slot 64 leading into said blower chamber 63. A fan 66 is secured to the motor shaft 42 and operates within the tubular openings of the housing. A second fan or blower 61 operates in the blower chamber 63. This chamber has a tangential discharge 68, see Figure 1. The'second fan'is mounted upon and circumscribes the first fan, the connection between the fans being by radial elements 10 extending from the blower and secured to the blades of the fan.

The blower receives heated air through openings 55 in the rear wall of section 45 of the blower housing.

Connecting the outer section 46 of the housing with the section 2 of the outer casing of the unit is an annulus 12, having a depression or socket 13 receiving the front portion of the outer section 46 to secure and center the same. The inner diameter of the annulus I2 is somewhat greater than the delivery opening 60.

The outer casing of the unit is shown as composed of three sections, but may be composed of only two sections connected only at 4 or of a short front section i, and a long rear section of a depth equal to that of sections 2 and 3. In assembling the device the rearmost section is separated from the forward section or sections. The radiator with its fan housing having previously been assembled, this assembly is introduced from the rear, and is received by the depression I3 of the forward annulus 12 which has been previously secured in the forward part of the casing. The rear casing section is now applied and openings (not shown) in the rear wall of rear casing section 3 are registered with the pipes and the section 3 is then slid forward to the position shown, after which nuts 34 are moved to clamping position to secure the pipes. By this means and by means of the fan housing and its connections a very rigid mount is provided for all of the elements. Compactness in a direction from front to rear or axially is obtained, and heated air is delivered directly from the radiator to the fan or fans.

The radiator, or core, not herein claimed per se, is of the general circular type disclosed in my co-pending application 162,705, flled September '7, 1937 but may be of any preferred type, for example like that shown in my co-pending application 162,156, filed September 2, 1937.

In that form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4 the blower casing has two tangential outlets 80, 8| see Figure 3. In this case the outer casing may also be composed of three sections, a rear section, middle section andfront section. The

structure of the front section with its openings and rotatable deflector is the same as previously described. The principal differences between this form and the first form is that the motor is not housed in a chamber formed in the radiator, but is arranged in an accessible position forwardly of the fan and between the fan and the hot air delivery opening or between the fan and the deflector. The deflector is arranged at a point immediately adjacent the delivery opening or openings in the front wall of the front casing section, as previously described.

The constructions of the housing and its attachment to and arrangement in front of the radiator, and its utilization as means for immovably securing the radiator, are substantially the same as previously described, and the same reference numerals have been used to designate corresponding parts.

In this form the objects are to so arrange the parts that the motor is easily accessible, and to provide a structure which facilitates assembly of the motor and fans; to mount the motor between the fans and the front of the heater; to mount the motor forwardly of the fans and rearwardly of a rotatable deflector which controls the direction of exit of the heated air from the fan casing; and to have a front casing section which is removable to give access to the motor.

The motor 85 is supported by means attached either to the front section 46 of the blower housing, to the front support 12 for the housing, or to both. As shown the motor supporting means is attached to the front of the housing by a spider structure having two or four arms. The arms 81 are diametrically arranged and each is attached at its outer end to the housing as by welding. The arms extend inwardly toward one another to assume the spaced relation shown. The motor is provided with a plate 66 having extensions. Fastening devices 90 pass through respective arms and extensions, and cushioning washers 9| are radiator. Another important feature also generic to both forms is the placement of the housing on the front of the radiator and/or the close proximity of the fans to the radiator.

It is noted, and this is a feature, that the air is heated, and is moved in a same direction and is delivered promptly to the fan or fans.

By means of the two tangential deliveries 80, 8|, the blower can serve to deliver heated air to the passenger compartment, and to a glass side or glass sides of the vehicle.

I claim as my invention:

.1. A unit heater having an outer casing and having a delivery opening therein, a radiator in said casing having a chamber therein, a motor disposed within the chamber, an annular blower housing, an annulus attaching the housing to the radiator, an annulus attaching the housing to the outer casing, means attached to said housing and tosaid motor to'secure the latter in the chamber, a first fan operated by the motor and circumscribed by the blower housing, and a blower fan circumscribing said first fan and 'moving therewith and operating in the housing.

2. A unit heater having a casing having in its front wall a delivery opening, a radiator in said casing, an annular blower housing on the front of the radiator, means attaching the housing to the radiator, means attaching the housing to the casing, a motor arranged forwardly of the housing in direction of said front wall, means attached to said housing and supporting the motor, a first fan operated by the motor and circumscribed by the blower housing, and a blower fan circumscribing said first fan and moving therewith and operating in the housing.

3. Aunit heater having, an outer casing, a radiator in the casing, a blower housing consisting of two sections one section placed against the front of the radiator and each section having a tubular opening defined by a flange, said openings I being alined axially, said flanges in part defining blower chamber.

4. A unit heater having an outer casing having a removable front wall, a radiator in the casing,

and a blower and fan unit arranged between the radiator and said front wall, and including a blower housing, a blower therein and a motor operating the blower, means by which the unit is supported on said radiator to allow free removal of the unit from or connection of the unit with said radiator by a motion in an axial direction, and an annulus separate from and centering and steadying the housing and securing it against detachment by axial motion, said front wall being removable while said annulus remains in supporting position.

5. A unit heater having an outer casing and a radiator in the casing, a blower housing within the casing and in air receiving relation with the radiator and consisting of two sections, each having a tubular opening defined by a flange, the flanges serving as shrouds for guiding air from the central portion of the radiator, said flanges defining in part the inner wall of a blower chamber of the housing and being spaced to form a circumferential slot leading into said blower chamber, a. fan disposed to force air through the tubular openings and a second fan carried by the first and operating in the blower chamber, the mounting means for the second fan passing through said slot.

HENRY W. FINK. 

